1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a buckle and more particularly to a lockable buckle for securing separate ends, portions or parts of any item configured to have releasing and locking states.
2. Background of Related Art
Buckles generally are used on belts, accessories, garment and container covers to secure various belt ends. Traditionally, buckle assemblies have encompassed two basic members, a clasp or latch and a clasp fastener matable to secure the belt, cover or other element. Many of these buckles utilize a release mechanism to disengage the mating latch and fastener.
Illustrative of a releasing buckle assembly is the structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464, which has a buckle with locking tabs matable in a receptacle. The tabs are engageable with sidewall slots to secure the buckle, and subsequent depression of these tabs in the slots permits withdrawal of the buckle and disengagement of the connected members.
Many buckle assemblies have locking means to fix the clasp and fastener against inadvertent or unwanted disengagement. Indicative of such a locking buckle assembly is the structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,319, which uses a keeper in the casing rotatable by a key to maintain the securing tabs in their slots. Counter rotation of the key and keeper permits disengagement of the clasp and fastener. This buckle is composed of a plurality of discrete components, which leads to a complex structure. However, almost all of these securing devices operate to maintain the above-noted tabs sidewardly projecting to contact hooks or slots. A lock having a central cam with a groove-tracking pintle is operable with side projecting fingers for securing coupled members, as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,120.
Center-release buckles are used as an alternative coupling arrangement for buckle fasteners and are exemplified by the structures shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,324. In the former, a clasp tongue is insertable in a fastener receptacle and a raised tongue portion is urged to mate with an aperture in the receptacle top wall to secure the buckle assembly. The releasable buckle in the latter includes a tongue that extends essentially to the rearmost portion of the receptacle casing before coming into register with a locking edge.
While all of the above-discussed buckle assemblies successfully operate to meet their respective objectives, in accordance with the fundamental principle of operation, the latch and fastener are immediately engaged, not locked upon insertion. To lock the buckle and, therefore, to prevent inadvertent disengagement of its components, the user should rotate a lock in a locking position after the components of the buckle have been engaged.
In many instances, however, it is advantageous to reverse the principle of operation and lock the latch in the fastener simultaneously with their engagement. Furthermore, aesthetically, economically and functionally, it is desirable to provide a buckle with a locking apparatus to prevent inadvertent or unwanted release of a coupled buckle fastener in accordance with the principle discussed above and to produce the buckle with a simple structure.